Kadri had a hearing by telephone Thursday with the NHL’s department of player safety for a hit on Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom on Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center in the Leafs’ 2-1 shootout loss. A decision on a possible suspension (likely 2-3 games) isn’t expected until at least 5 p.m.

In practice after the hearing, there was a hint Kadri will be suspended: He was skating on the fourth line, with Jay McClement taking Kadri’s spot on second line between Joffrey Lupul and David Clarkson. If he is forced to sit out by the league, the Leafs could call up a replacement from the Toronto Marlies, or dress three enforcers on the fourth line: Colton Orr, Frazer McLaren and Troy Bodie.

At 7:07 of the first period, Kadri hit Backstrom while driving to the net. Backstrom initially remained in the game after being attended to on the ice, but was replaced by Josh Harding at 10:31 of the first period and did not return.

Kadri runs over Backstrom

Kadri received a two-minute minor for goaltender interference on the play.

Goalie interference/charging are reviewable offences.

There was another Kadri incident late in the third period — one for which he was ejected. He is not being subject to supplemental discipline for his hit on Mikail Granlund.

The Leafs didn’t think that hit was so bad.

“It’s beyond me, the five-minute major,” said Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. “He made initial contact with the shoulder. The kid had his head down. He (Kadri) ran into the player. Granlund snapped his head back. Obviously the referees saw it differently. It was match penalty. It will be reviewed.”

Kadri's hit on Granlund

If the Leafs lose Kadri to suspension, they would lose yet another centre heading into Friday’s game in Buffalo.

They are already without Dave Bolland (tendon in knee) and Tyler Bozak (hamstring). They were forced to sign journeyman Jerred Smithson and play James van Riemsdyk out of position at centre rather than left wing.

The Leafs could dip into the Marlies, where Andrew Crescenzi was mentioned as a possible fill in when Bozak and Bolland were injured.

There is an outside chance Joffrey Lupul could come off the wing and act as a fill-in at centre. Lupul was a winger on the second line with Kadri as center and either Clarkson or Mason Raymond as the other winger.

In the meantime, the Leafs will practise in Buffalo in advance of their game Friday against the Sabres.

The game was already hyped, given the Leafs history with Buffalo, which reignited into a frenzy in the pre-season with John Scott and Phil Kessel getting into a stick swining incident that resulted in a brawl.

Clarkson received a 10-game suspension for leaving the bench to enter the fray; Scott was not penalized, but was later suspended and makes his return from that suspension Friday against the Leafs.

Wednesday saw the Sabres clean house, removing their management and coaching regime in favour of Sabres legend Pat Lafontaine as president of hockey operations, and former coach Ted Nolan returning on an interim basis.

“Obviously you can’t take it easy. Any team in this league can beat you on any night. We have to make sure we’re ready. We have to play our style and score some big goals on the power play and keep doing what we’re doing on the penalty kill,” Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier said.

Added Leafs coach Randy Carlyle: “There will be excitement in Buffalo, for sure. There’s always those things that happen. It’s unfortunate. This business is cruel. (Wednesday) was a cruel day for the people in Buffalo.”

Nolan said during his opening press conference that he is looking forward to the Leafs on Friday night on home ice (and back in Toronto on Saturday night).

“Games against Toronto are always going to be exciting, and I’m going to come in here guns blazing and get to know these players (Sabres) . . . ” Nolan said.

“I am anxious to play these games, not so much because it’s Toronto, but because I want to get rolling and see how things unfold.”

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